Rack for confections



June 2, 1936. M RA IE D 2,043,032

RACK FOR CONFECTIONS Filed April 13, 1955 Fig Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a rack for confections, and more particularly to a rack to be used in a refrigerator, such as an ice cream cabinet, to store frozen confections.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved rack which may be inserted into a refrigerated compartment, such as a can or well, which will provide convenient means for placement, storage and removal of packaged confections, which will be so constructed as to permit the ready circulation of air in the refrigerated compartment through all parts of the rack, and which will be so constructed as to minimize the removal of cold air when the rack is withdrawn from the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device in a form which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

Other and specific objects will be apparent from the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved rack;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a refrigerator showing the rack in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the rack;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5-5, Fig. 3.

The rack includes a top annular frame member I, a bottom annular frame member 2, a series of vertical rod members 3 about a major portion only of the periphery of the device, a series of intermediate continuous annular frame members 4, a series of arcuate intermediate frame members 5, a, handle and cross brace 6, cross rod members l secured on the annular members 2 and 3, and supporting or foot members 8. These elements are fabricated together to form a reticular wall and reticular shelves with an unobstructed relatively wide space in the front to provide free access to the shelves, as best shown in Fig. 4. The wall comprises the annular and arcuate members and the vertical members. The arcuate members 5 are open at the front and the vertical members 3 are absent at the front of the rack to provide the relatively wide open space mentioned. The shelves comprise the bottom annular member 2 and the intermediate annular members 4, fabricated with the cross members I.

All of the parts mentioned are preferably constructed of steel rods, or wire, and the rack is preferably fabricated by welding the parts together.

It will be understood that the vertical members 3 are spaced from each other about the periphery of the device and secured to the annular members I and 2 and 4, except at the front where they are omitted to provide access to the shelves formed by the cross members 1. I have found that the vertical members 3 may be spaced about one and one-half inches apart while the cross members I may be spaced about one inch apart. It will be understood, of course, that these dimensions are given merely as examples, and to aid in the understanding of the device, and that these dimensions are in no way critical.

As specifically shown in the drawing, the horizontal frame members are annular or arcuate in construction, in order to provide a rack which will fit in a circular refrigerating compartment, but it will be understood that my rack may be made of other cross sectional form with the same advantages, where such a form is required or desired by the refrigerating compartment in which it is to be used.

The shelves are preferably constructed with the cross members 1 running from front to back and positioned above the peripheral frame member (2 or 4) to which they are attached. This arrangement provides facility in the insertion and removal of contents through the relatively wide opening at the front of the rack.

Fig. 2 illustrates a refrigerating cabinet such as an ice cream cabinet having a refrigerating space formed by side and bottom walls 9 and a top wall It], by which a can II is suspended to form a refrigerated container in which the rack may be placed.

The bar 6 forms a handle by which the rack may be readily lifted intoand out of the refrigerated chamber II whereby access may be had readily to the several shelves through the said relatively wide opening at the front of the rack. Preferably cross members 1 run in a direction from front to back to facilitate sliding articles therealong, while for strengthening purposes the bar or handle member runs in a vertical plane normal to the shelf members 1.

Because the rack is constructed of Wire or rods in open pattern the refrigerated air within the chamber is disturbed to a minimum when the rack is placed in or removed from the container. Further, the open work provides ready circulation for the cold air about the confections which are supported by the rack. The foot members 8 support the rack and the bottom shelf thereof. from the bottom of the container, thus aiding in the circulation of the air through the rack and about the confections.

This is a continuation in part of my prior application Serial No. 611,116, filed May 13, 1932.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

I claim:

A cylindrical storage rack for refrigerators having an open top, a reticulated bottom, an upstanding continuous reticulated wall fixed perpendicularly to the bottom throughout approximately two-thirds of its circumference, a plurality of spaced annular supporting hoops fixed to the inside of the wall, a plurality of spaced parallel rods fixed to the top of each of the supporting hoops to form shelves, said rods being disposed perpendicularly to a right line drawn from end to end of the wall to form ways upon which the contents of the rack may be slid in and out, a handle rod fixed at diametrically opposite points to the Wall below its upper end, and a plurality of leg members fixed to the bottom to hold the reticulated bottom spaced from the support for the rack all so constructed and arranged that the contents of the storage rack is adapted to be held spaced from the walls of the refrigerator whereby the refrigerant has unobstructed circulation from all directions around the contents of the rack.

MEARL BRASFIELD. 

